Time Trials
Time Trials is the fourth episode of Ben 10: Road Trip's first season. It was written by Aaron. Ben is summoned to The Crucible as a Chronian begins to break into the deep vaults... Plot Deep in the neglected bronze hallways of a vault untouched for centuries, a man clad in black armour with purple patterns slowly wanders towards his target. He looks up to see a young human man, clad in purple armour and with shining white hair. Eon: "Oh fuck off." Scene 1 The Stardust is brought aboard The Crucible. Ben disembarks immediately to be met by a landing party of lively-looking Chronosapiens. He is followed shortly by Sadie, using a mechanical body to hold her hologram projector that had been hidden inside the console that she normally resides within, to Ben's total surprise. The crowd disperses, and High Pacekeeper Chronark introduces himself to Ben. He is the ruler of the Crucible, and the only living Chronosapien to have survived the Heaven Wars. The Chronosapiens had been watching Ben for some time now, with special interest on his involvement in the Eon Crisis. They need Ben's help to locate a Chronian that has infiltrated the catacombs that make up the lower levels of the Crucible. Ben will be escorting Chronark and the resident expert of the Crucible Vaults, Tempoch. Chronark is a dark green metal Chronosapien with a dark purple cape and a narrow rectangular key in his head. Tempoch was metallic red with yellow gears. His left arm is a shining gunmetal grey claw clearly bolted on unnaturally, and his key was a wide rectangle with a notch in the centre. All the other Chronosapiens regarded him with mild disgust, and he shyly tried to hide his artificial arm. Scene 2 Tempoch takes Ben, Chronark, and Sadie past the outer defenses of the vault, and explains that each of them would have to face the three trials of time to pass deeper within. The trials were designed to ensure that only a Chronosapien could navigate their way into the vault. Tempoch and Chronark go on without Ben, trusting his legendary heroics to be more than enough help for this trivial task. Ben and Sadie proceed into the chamber of the first trial. A large, wide pillar immediately retreats into the ground. The pair look up, and see a doorway high above near the ceiling. The solution was supposed to be reversing time so thatThey decide to split up, knowing that Ben can carry on but Sadie may end up trapped if she continues. Ben switches into Fanfare and flies up through the open doorway. With Ben gone, Sadie turns back to return to the surface. She suddenly finds herself standing outside the Stardust, far from being in range with Ben through the dense metal floors and walls, with no memory of the journey in between. She enters her spaceship. ???: "Sorry about that. I just needed to get you somewhere we could talk." Sadie: "Ben? When did we get back? What happened?" She enters the bridge, only to see a white-haired version of Ben sat in the pilot's seat. His eyes a piercing red, and wearing ancient purple armour. Albedo: "My name is Albedo. What I am about to say is incredibly important. I need you to bring Ben to Primus in exactly Fifteen days. Can you do that?" Sadie: "Why should I trust you? Aren't you supposed to be in prison? And also, like, twelve?" Albedo: "All very good questions. And if you promise not to tell Ben about any of this, I will answer one of them for you." Sadie pauses for a moment. Sadie: "I'll consider it." Albedo: "It is in everyone's best interest that Ben defends Primus when Timekiller attacks." Sadie: "And Ben can't know this... because?" Albedo: "Because if he knows he might plan ahead, and if he plans ahead Timekiller will know that he's been found out. You only get one chance to cut off your enemy's head. Miss it and they'll go for yours, they won't miss." Sadie: "And our head is Primus?" Albedo: "And we need to go for his head when he goes for ours." Sadie: "Ours?" She looks down at his purple metal armour with a glowing blue core. Sadie: "Ben told me what Time Breakers are, Albedo. I'm not stupid." Albedo: "And neither am I! You think I want to live under Timekiller's rule? Or spend my years rotting in jail? Look just do it or don't, it's your loss either way. Just don't tell anyone else. Big armies mobilising a defence do tend to be a giveaway that company is expected." Back in the test chambers Ben passes through an unusually long corridor, suspicious of its featureless length. Suddenly the doors at either end of it slam shut and the atmosphere is vented from the room. Acting fast, Ozai quickly switches Ben into MindMatter. Chronosapiens don't need to breath, on account of being brass automatons. The doors open once more, but the atmosphere does not return. Ben presses on, finding in the next room two buttons on opposing walls with a closed door in the centre. Pushing either one does nothing. After a few minutes of discussion with Ozai, they come to realise that both buttons must be pressed simultaneously to proceed. This is no problem for MindMatter, who simply outstretches his arms then uses his telekinetic powers to push the buttons at range. Ben moves into the third room through an airlock, where the atmosphere returns to breathable. The final chamber is a small square room, in the middle of which is a rod jammed into a strange dome shape and spinning rapidly. Wanting to know what this was, Ben had Ozai create a hologram photograph of the apparatus- a single frozen frame of the insanely fast motion. It was a lever that needed to be frozen in time before being lifted to be perpendicular with the floor. Ben: "My tenth alien, the one I had before Killermari, didn't Azmuth say something about turning water into glass?" Ozai: "That is a near perfect quote of what he said the alien is believed to do, yes." Ben: "I wonder if he can do the same with air? It's worth a shot." Ben brings up his Omnitrix and immediately transforms into the final of his original ten aliens. A huge creature of walking pink rock, with sharp growths jutting upwards out of his back and a hunched posture. He reaches forwards in an attempt to create a glass barrier in the path of the whirring lever- and it works. A transparent, nearly-invisible shield halts the spinning device with a loud thud. The shield barely reacts, save for a ripple of light across its surface from the impact. Ben doesn't even flinch when it hits. He marches forwards, being sure to keep the shield exactly where it is. He hears the crunch of the gears in the floor desperately trying to push past each other. He hurries, fearing he might break the machine, and forces the lever straight up before allowing it to spin once more. The door opens, signalling a job well done. Ozai: "Well done, Ben." ???: "Thanks. This alien is pretty powerful, I should have used him before. I think I'll call him... Barrier Reef!" Scene 3 Ben runs through the labyrinthine caves of golden metal towards the core of the artificial planet. He reaches a wide, sealed door, where he finds Chronark watching Tempoch attempting to manipulate the wires. Ben: "What happened? You two were way ahead of me?!" Chronark: "The dastardly intruder got away from us. He's in here." Tempoch, grunting: "Which isn't great. After all, this is the deepest and best secured vault we own. This is where we were trying to keep him out of." Ben: "It's not a very well defended vault with three cheat-able trials between it and the open universe." Chronark: "It's done us well since the Heaven Wars!" Ben: "Has anyone tried breaking in?" Tempoch: "Just us." He struggles to wire everything correctly to open the door. Chronark: "Oh break it already." Tempoch: "How?" Chronark: "Jam your, you know..." He gestures vaguely in Tempoch's direction. Chronark: "Jam it in there." Tempoch grabs his robotic arm tightly. Tempoch: "I'm not smashing my arm into there!" Ben: "Woah woah, if you need to do anything dangerous let me. That's why I'm here, after all." Chronark: "Nonsense. Tempoch is perfectly capable. Now do it, Tempoch. Do it now!" Left without a choice, Tempoch rams his steel claw into the wiring. There is a bright spark and Tempoch screams in pain before yanking his arm back out. The door slides open slowly. Chronark: "See? Perfectly capable." Inside the chamber are many forbidden artefacts of Chronosapien culture. Weapons long lost, trophies from races crushed eras ago, and the mangled but unmistakable corpse of Maltruant. His head and upper torso is in tact, along with part of his right arm. His key is missing, and a vague semblance of a Chronosapien skeleton holds his lower in shape. This was far from a functional mess, but it was still worryingly better shape than Ben had last seen him in. He was slumped over in an iron throne, at the foot of which Eon sits waiting. Eon: "Welcome." Ben: "Eon? What the hell are you doing here? You're the Chronian?" Eon: "Do you even know what that word means? It doesn't seem to be translating, but it should. It means- literally- One who does not belong in the Timemaster's Tongue. Chronosapien doesn't translate either. Guess what that means." Ben: "That doesn't answer my question. Last I heard of you, Paradox had sent you off to run an errand." Eon: "That was two days ago for me. You?" Ben: "About a week." Eon: "Believe me I'm not here by choice. This needs to be done though. The loop must be closed." Ben: "The loop?" Eon: "The one that Maltruant is trapped in. He must restore himself. He must start the Time War. All so you can kill him before time even begins." He pulls out a black cube that he had been sat on. It is marked with red circuitry. Chronark: "Enough of this! Tempoch! Activate the security protocols!" Tempoch: "Aha... I'm afraid not." His tone is suddenly very familiar to Ben, who turns around immediately. Tempoch reaches for his face, covering it with his good hand. Tempoch: "All you on the surface. So afraid of technology. So afraid of me, for what this arm represents. I lost this arm trying to save us! And my reward is disdain. You were so focused on it, you didn't even notice that my metal had changed colour." His hand moves slowly away, peeling off an ID Mask and revealing his true deep blue metal colouration. Tempoch/Timekiller: "You're probably confused Tennyson. Tempoch was my assembly name. I kept it well hidden from you didn't I? But of course you know me by another name." Eon: "So... You're him aren't you? Paradox's new favourite doomsday story?" Chronark: "Tempoch? ...You? You're the Timekiller?" Timekiller: "Of course I am. Would you like to meet some of my friends?" Time Breaker Vilgax steps out of the shadows. Beside him, a strange brown three-legged alien materialises. It has no head, and two grey plate faces on each shoulder. The creature was dwarfed by Vilgax. Ben recognised it by the emblem on its chest. Ben: "Albedo?!" With a red flash it takes a human form. Albedo puts a finger to his lips. Chronark: "This isn't possible!" Eon: "It certainly shouldn't be..." Timekiller inspects his robotic left arm as he approaches Chonark. Timekiller: "Y'know... Maybe having me break in here was good practice." Tempoch slams his steel claw straight through Chronark's chestpiece- smashing the glass protecting his internal gears. He grabs onto the central core in the middle of the gears and rips it straight out. The Pacekeeper falls to the ground, killed instantly. Timekiller: "Long live the High Pacekeeper. May his reign be eternal and his judgement fair." He kicks the fresh corpse. Timekiller: "And his death swift." He turns to Ben. Timekiller: "You like that last part? My own addition, for the occasion. I'm telling you because you don't know our customs or sayings, and judging by that look of disgust you don't care either. Ah well, can't please everyone. Now Eon, if you would be so kind?" Eon goes to place the red and black cube with Maltruant, only to pause. Eon: "You left the defences down. You let me get in here." He turns to face Timekiller, whose head key has begun turning. Eon: "What do you want with Maltruant? You're not part of the loop!" Instantly, Time Breaker Vilgax appears before Eon- time had frozen just a moment ago! Vilgax's left arms transforms into powerful tentacles that lift Eon off the ground by his neck, and the right arm catches the cube as it falls. There is a loud crunch and Eon's body goes limp. Ben and Albedo both watch with shock as the Time Breaker casts the body aside and places the cube in Maltruant's lap. The cube instantly melts across Maltruant's corpse and Ben realised with horror that the cube was the recovered corpse of Malware! Maltruant, not yet conscious, stands up as the merge completes. Mechamorphic tentacles burst out of his body as he stumbles towards Timekiller and the body of Chronark. The tentacles begin to tear the body apart, scavenging parts into MALtruant and rebuilding him. Ben goes to intervene, but Albedo holds out his arm and stops him. Albedo, whispering: "Trust me, just once." MALtruant's desecration stops and he stands upright, his back to the two doppelgangers. MALtruant: "It was a shame about Eon. He served me well during the Time War. I think he came here to repent for that- to set the timeline straight. He was misguided." Ben: "You aren't supposed to remember that. Any of that. You were supposed to have your memory wiped when I killed you last time, that's how the loop works." MALtruant: "Strange, isn't it? But it will help me set things straight at least. And you, Timekiller? Brilliant work. I love the name you've chosen, very striking." Timekiller: "Why thank you. I'm quite a fan of yours, you know? It means a lot to receive such praise from my hero." MALtruant: "Hero, eh?" Timekiller: "Of course. You want to remake the universe? I wouldn't mind changing a few things either." MALtruant: "You have more than proven yourself to me, but we have an outstanding issue." Timekiller: "Fret not, that's why the help is here." Timekiller gestures towards Time Breaker Vilgax and Time Breaker Albedo. MALtruant: "Are those...? Surely not?" Timekiller: "Time Breakers. My own design, too. Chronal Point and Motion Zero. Now, if we may discuss things more privately?" MALtruant: "Absolutely! Lead the way, by all means!" Timekiller, to the Time Breakers: "You two: kill him!" With a flash, the two Chronosapiens vanish. Ben turns to Albedo Ben: "You better start talking real fast." Albedo: "You'll have to excuse me for a moment." Vilgax begins to march towards Ben. Albedo slams the core of his new faux Omnitrix and with a red flash becomes a tall shark-like monster with shining chitinous armour. His missile like head has a massive jaw lined with multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth. Its head stretches out as it lunges for Vilgax's chest, tearing into the Time Breaker armour and ripping it out. What was left of Vilgax turns to dust instantly. Albedo turns back to Ben, showing off his bizarre form. ???: "Like it? I call this form Overbite. A race of creatures from another universe, something only Timekiller could give me." Ozai: "Unknown DNA sample detected, attempting scan. Warning: Signal interrupted. Scan not possible." Overbite: "Oh? Maybe Timekiller put more countermeasures into this thing than I expected. How do you like my new Negativitrix, by the way? It's a fuck ugly piece of shit but it does the job." Ben: "Are you really dumb enough to align yourself with Timekiller? You know he'll backstab you, right?" Overbite: "Oh, I'm counting on it. But I've got a new philosophy now. Remember that time I stole Azmuth's intellect and merged it with my own super-evolved Galvan mind?" Ben: "I do, that didn't work out for you." Overbite: "Oh but it did! It showed me what I was missing all these years! It showed me the glory of mediocrity! It showed me my place in the universe and it made me happy to know that my failures are as inconsequential as my goals!" Overbite's lipless mouth struggled to carry Albedo's vocabulary. He was spitting everywhere. Ben: "This doesn't sound like you at all." Overbite: "I reflected on things, Ben. No matter my plan I could never hope to beat you because that's just not my place in the universe. That is for me to find, and I have a good idea where I should start. But to get there, I needed some freedoms. That is Timekiller's means to my end." Ben: "Whatever you're planning, I will stop you." Overbite: "Not if you have any sense you won't. But still, I have a job for now and that means we fight. I don't think I'll win, but I would like to try. I'll let you pick an alien first, if you'd so like." Ben: "Alright." MindMatter: "Your move." Overbite charges for Ben jaw-first, but MindMatter lifts him off the ground and effortlessly tosses him into the wall across the chamber. MindMatter: "That wasn't very smart. MindMatter is the perfect defence against a close range alien like yours!" Overbite: "Then maybe I should change things up a bit!" Albedo switches into a square-ish robotic form with a large screen in its chest. It has long trunk-like arms with subwoofers embedded into his arms and legs. ???: "Maybe it's time for Haywire's remix!" Haywire releases a powerful sonic blast that launches MindMatter. Ben responds by also changing form, this time opting for Barrier Reef. He projects a shield around himself, only to find it useless- air flows through the shield and sound travels through the air. Haywire laughs. Thinking quickly, Ben quick-switches into Killermari and fires a powerful crimson beam that heavily damages Haywire and halts his sound attack. Switching again, Ben turns into Hightide and rushes Albedo. He douses Haywire in water, causing him to short-circuit. Defeated, Albedo is forced back to his human form. He lays on the ground, holding himself up. Albedo, panting: "Very well played, Tennyson. You're even better than I remember. A truly embarrassing defeat on my part." Ben: "You weren't even trying." Albedo: "Not as hard as I could have been, but I did almost think I was going to win." Ben: "What's your deal?" Albedo: "Good question. I've got a better one: Have you ever been to Anur G'rrnay? Actually I have a follow-up question: Which of your aliens can traverse four spacial dimensions?" Ben: "What?" Albedo quickly reaches for the Negativitrix and transforms into a tall fleshy alien with a star-like head and four misaligned eyes. As though he were erased from one end to the other, Albedo folded out of sight. Scene 4 Ben ran back to the surface and into the Stardust. He did not have time to tell the Chronosapiens what had happened, they'd know soon enough. He needed to pursue his foes while the trail was hot. They set course for Anur G'rrnay. Noteworthy Events *MALtruant is resurrected *Eon and High Pacekeeper Chronark are murdered *Albedo makes his Road Trip debut Minor Events *Time Breaker Vilgax is killed *Barrier Reef makes his debut, finally revealing all of Ben's T2 Omnitrix aliens *Four of Albedo's aliens debuted: **Intersect **Doormensional **Overbite **Haywire Characters *Ben Tennyson *Sadie *Ozai *High Pacekeeper Chronark (first appearance; death) *Eon (death) Villains *Tempoch *MALtruant (first appearance in Earth-1010) *Time Breakers **Time Breaker Vilgax (death) **Time Breaker Albedo (first appearance) Aliens Used By Ben Tennyson *Fanfare *MindMatter (x2) *Barrier Reef (debut, x2) *Killermari (cameo) *Hightide By Albedo *Intersect (debut, x2, first time was off-screen) *Doormensional (debut) *Overbite (debut) *Haywire (debut) Category:Episodes Category:Ben 10: Road Trip Category:Episodes of Ben 10: Road Trip Category:Earth-1010